Spicy Snapper

I like to make up recipes!  I hate following them.  Here is one I created last night, and we really enjoyed it so I decided to share it with you.

I had some snapper, and when it comes to fish, I'm not an expert by any means.  I know how to cook salmon well, but all other fish elude me.  I googled some recipes for inspiration, as usual, but nothing took my fancy.

The thing about fish is that it's very easy to overwhelm the lightness of the fish with too much flavor, something I have 'successfully' manage to do many times. Seeing that Todd has seen straight through my "if in doubt smother it in pesto" way of handling fish, I needed to find something better and different.....and I think I have found it.

If you are not a fan of hot and spicy foods, don't let the title put you off - it is flavorful without being hot!

Sliver the red onion, and place in a mixing bowl.

Slice the bell peppers and add to the bowl.

Slice the mushrooms and add to the bowl.

Add all the seasonings to the bowl, and stir until all the vegetables are covered.

In a large skillet, add enough olive oil to cover half the base of the skillet.  Heat the oil on a high heat, when a little smoke appears add the vegetables to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute

Then reduce the heat to medium high and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 4 mins.

Remove vegetables from the skillet leaving any remaining liquid and seasonings in the pan, add a little more olive oil, continue to cook on a medium high heat.

Wash the fish and pat dry with a paper towel.  Add to the skillet.  Cook for around 2 mins, until the edges of the fish start to turn opaque.  If you have fish with the skin on, cook this side first until the skin is browned and slightly crispy.

Turn the fish over and continue cooking until the fish turns opaque.  If you are not sure if it is cooked, using a fork, slide it between the flakes in the thickest part of the fish and check to see if it is opaque.  If it is, it is cooked, of not continue cooking.

Remove fish from the skillet and put it on a plate, ready to serve, add the vegetables back to the skillet, increasing the heat and cook for 1 minute.  Serve vegetables on top of the fish.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

Snapper fillets (one per person, with or without skin is fine)
Olive oil
1 Large Red Onion, slivered
2 Bell peppers, sliced lengthways - I used yellow and red, but use your favorites!
10 mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp Garlic Salt
1 tsp Ground Pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Parsley
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Smoked Paprika (optional, if you don't have this use 2 tsp of regular paprika)

Directions

1) Sliver the red onion, and place in a mixing bowl. Slice the bell peppers and add to the bowl. Slice the mushrooms and add to the bowl.

2) Add all the seasonings to the bowl, and stir until all the vegetables are covered.

3) In a large skillet, add enough olive oil to cover half the base of the skillet.  Heat the oil on a high heat, when a little smoke appears add the vegetables to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium high and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 4 mins.

4) Remove vegetables from the skillet leaving any remaining liquid and seasonings in the pan, add a little more olive oil, continue to cook on a medium high heat.

5) Wash the fish and pat dry with a paper towel.  Add to the skillet.  Cook for around 2 mins, until the edges of the fish start to turn opaque.  If you have fish with the skin on, cook this side first until the skin is browned and slightly crispy. Turn the fish over and continue cooking until the fish turns opaque.  If you are not sure if it is cooked, using a fork, slide it between the flakes in the thickest part of the fish and check to see if it is opaque.  If it is, it is cooked, of not continue cooking.

6) Remove fish from the skillet and put it on a plate, ready to serve, add the vegetables back to the skillet, increasing the heat and cook for 1 minute.  Serve vegetables on top of the fish.

Enjoy!